The use of holographic images, particularly on documents and credit cards for security purposes, has become extremely widespread. However, despite such widespread use, the use of holographic images is fairly expensive and generally involves the manufacture of a holographic image on a discrete chip in one operation and, in a separate operation, the adhering or laminating of such holographic chip to the intended document or article such as a stock certificate, check, or verification/identification card. U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,858, incorporated herein by reference, shows one prior art method of embossing holographic images or diffraction pattern images to a plastic film or to a plastic coating of a substrate, such as paper sheeting. It is believed that the present invention incorporates advantages not available in that or other prior art. Other patents which disclose various methods for forming holograms or diffraction grating images on substrates include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,087,510; 4,773,718; 4,728,377 and 4,717,615.
My previous patent application Ser. No. 08/222,283, filed Apr. 4, 1994 provided new and unique articles of manufacture and a method for forming a holographic image or diffraction pattern directly on a composite sheet immediately following its being affixed to the substrate forming a major component of the finished article whether it be a security document, check, verification/identification card or other document upon which it is desired to provide a hologram or diffraction grating image. Such previous patent application also disclosed and claimed a new composite sheet and method for forming such composite sheet which may be used in directly forming a hologram or diffraction grating image on a chip of such composite sheet when such chip is affixed to the substrate of the intended finished document or article.